Harraste, harrastus, askare

[AldenG]

Writing a letter today without the missus available for consultation here...

What are the nuances of harraste, harrastus, and askare? Which is most unserious (as a hobby), which is most serious (as a potential professional direction)? Am I right to think of askartelu as simple handcrafts like cutting things out of felt, making pottery, etc? Is one of these most "neutral" as in characterizing a focus of time and energy without reflecting at all on the level or seriousness of the activity?

[EP]

"Harraste" and "harrastus" both mean hobby. But hardly anybody would say "harraste", it is like something from a 1930´s women´s magazine. And "askartelu" is just one "harrastus", something small to make with your hands (costume jewellery, small decorative items, little things children make and so on). They are all unserious. "Käsityöt" is also one "harrastus", and that can turn into something professional ---> "käsityöläinen".

"Askare" on the other hand is just a dull "household chore". Washing, ironing, some light cleaning up...

[AldenG]

Although a rather informal word by comparison, puuha is less hobby-like and more matter-of-fact pursuit or activity, is that right?

Are you saying that harrastus must be a recreational, non-professional thing? Not for instance an area of side interest within one's profession? Or it would sound unserious if a professional used harrastus to describe it?

Am I overlooking other good words for areas of endeavor or devotion?

[silk]

Is one of these most "neutral" as in characterizing a focus of time and energy without reflecting at all on the level or seriousness of the activity?

How about toiminta, "activity"? Would that suit your purpose better? You can spice it up with mieleinen/mieluinen/mieluisa.

[Valinnan vapaus]

Although a rather informal word by comparison, puuha is less hobby-like and more matter-of-fact pursuit or activity, is that right?

I hear (in my inner ear) puuha in sentences like:
Keksitää[npä]s lapsille jotain kivaa puuhaa. = Let's think up some pleasant activity for the children.
Ompelu on niin tylsää puuhaa. = Sewing is so boring. (such a boring activity)

and the related verb puuhata:
Mitä sä oikein puuhaat? = Say what'ya doing there, Bob?
Puuhattiin lasten kanssa kaikkea mukavaa. We were doing all sorts of fun stuff with the kids.

It is more puhekielinen and leppoisa for sure. Also in most cases you can replace puuha with tekeminen or puuhata with tehdä

Oh and then there's "Puuhamaa", implying the same. And this song is easily one of most annoying jingles that has been stuck in Finnish ears since the first showing of the TV commercials.

Are you saying that harrastus must be a recreational, non-professional thing? Not for instance an area of side interest within one's profession? Or it would sound unserious if a professional used harrastus to describe it?

Aren't hobbies and work supposed to be opposed to each other? Don't mix work and free-time! Yeah that's right. But I don't know, you could hear something like:
Olen ammatiltani lintutieteilijä, mutta harrastan siinä ohessa sienestystä. = I'm an ornithologist, but I like to hunt mushrooms on the side.

So it's not something that really belongs to your work in any case.

Am I overlooking other good words for areas of endeavor or devotion?

You can always single out your favourite hobby, lempiharrastus.
Someone else come up with anything?

[AldenG]

Olen ammatiltani lintutieteilijä, mutta harrastan siinä ohessa sienestystä.

That's pretty much the sense I had in mind, but it seems that when one goes from harrastaa to harrastus the color of the word changes a bit. (?)

Then again Alanne (if still relevant) does mention as an example kirjalliset harrastukset, translating it as "literary pursuits," which is exactly the kind of usage that spontaneously came to mind before I started doubting and double-checking. Now that I think about it in English, "pursuits" is probably the word I would have used in English.

[CH]

Oh and then there's "Puuhamaa", implying the same. And this song is easily one of most annoying jingles that has been stuck in Finnish ears since the first showing of the TV commercials.

Gee... thanks a lot! Now I have it going again!

One way to say you are devoted to a hobby is "harras". It's usually used in "harras uskovainen", but can equally well be used for anything else... but note that it says what you are not what you do. So, olen harras lintubongari would mean that I'm a devoted bird watcher. Although... well... I would not perhaps put that in a CV or other similar more formal writing, just harrastan lintubongausta.

[Upphew]

Are you saying that harrastus must be a recreational, non-professional thing? Not for instance an area of side interest within one's profession? Or it would sound unserious if a professional used harrastus to describe it?

You don't do hobbies on the clock. Or shouldn't do, unless you are a manager or sales... then the golf is mandatory? If what you do on your free time is same as your profession (coder, hunting guide, photographer) then you probably wouldn't want to imply that your work is hobby(ish), rather you just say what you do on your free time.